Yukie Marui Arc
The Yukie Marui Arc is the 11 Arc of The World God Only Knows. It introduces the minor heroine, Asari, but is mostly an insight into Haqua's life and her buddy, Yukie Marui. The Arc Questioning Her Keima, after finishing all the galge that just came out recently, went out to get some food. But he got burned by the sun since he had been playing games in the dark too long. Keima then used his shirt to cover himself from the sun. After that, he found out that Elsie and his mother went out for shopping. Suddenly, Haqua greeted him but he ignores her since he was apparently still thinking about the games while looking something in the fridge. He then realised Haqua was in his house and asked why she was here, which Haqua replied she is here for Elsie. Keima then recalled that Haqua has visited his house a lot after the incident. Keima then told Haqua that Elsie just gone out a while and he was the only one in the house now. Hearing that, Haqua blushes and replied that she will go out since Elsie wasn't here. But Keima advised her to stay since Elsie could be home any second, which Haqua agreed. Keima then suddenly laughed because he just remembered something about a game he played earlier. Haqua then challenged him to play Neo-Hellian AlmageMachina board game with her. Keima at first was not interested on it, but then he realised he could get more reliable information about Hell through Haqua. He then accepts her challenge but with one condition: the loser must do whatever the winner asks. Haqua was scared a little embarrassed when she heard it, but then she accepted it since she believed in her unbeatable record and Keima's inexperience about the game. She then stated she will show Keima that there is someone above him, which Keima denied since he is god after all. After a while, Keima wins easily while Haqua was still shocked about what happened. Keima then made Haqua pay up for her defeat while she tried to defend herself with her scythe. Haqua then explained that she won't do "anything" before Keima asks her the other way to hunt the Weiss. Haqua felt relieved when she heard it before telling Keima the other way to extract a Weiss. After hearing that, Keima was surprised since he hadn't heard Elsie report about this. Haqua then wanted a rematch with him since she didn't believe Keima could win against her, while Keima wondered if Haqua didn't have anything to do. But the result was still the same with Keima's win. Keima then wonder what he should do with Haqua who again tried to explain she won't do "anything". Keima then asked Haqua why Elsie wanted him to use "love" to extract a spirit, which Haqua replied she doesn't know and advised him to ask Elsie. She then commented that Keima's rate of success is way better than the other buddies. But then she warned him about the second way of capture. Haqua then want another rematch which she again lost to Keima. Haqua then give up and said she won't challenge him again. Keima then wondered what he should ask next while Haqua was feeling annoyed by it. Haqua then was frustrated and throws her scythe against Keima causing him to fly outside the yard. Keima then asked the reason why Haqua did it, which she replied she felt frustrated about his question before asking him if he hadn't have any interest in her. But Haqua then was embarrassed about what she just said before she told Keima that she will take her leave. Keima then wondered who was Haqua's partner, which she then stated that she has no partner. But suddenly an old woman appeared in front of Keima's house and claimed to be the partner of Haqua. The old lady wondered if Keima is Haqua's boyfriend, which made Haqua embarrassed about it, while Keima was in a state of shock when he realised that Haqua's partner is an old lady. The old lady then greeted Keima before introducing her name as Yukie. Yukie then gently pushed Haqua to return to their house while Keima was still shocked. After a while, Mari and Elsie returned from their shopping but realised that Keima was out for a while. A Visit to Her Place Haqua has always been first in everything that she does, whether in elementary or middle school, she had always remained in this position. She dreamed of doing heroic deeds in the Runaway Spirit Squad, stating that she is not the one with the problems. It was instead, her partner, a 54 year old saleswoman who is single, named Yukie Marui, was shown to be doing some tai-chi exercises. Haqua commented how she should stop "Whew-ing" already. With that, Haqua questioned why she, the best student in the academy, was partnered with the likes of someone like Yukie. She complained that the house was too normal and that they have only captured a single spirit throughout the entire time of them being partners. Yukie, who was still doing exercises, commented on how she wants to get 'A' rank in tai-chi before the summer ends, which isn't what Haqua was complaining about. Haqua ran out of the house crying over the fact that she got her as a 'buddy' and that if anyone saw her like this, she would die. This was the same time that Keima came to visit her with a present in his hands; with the intent of searching for information. Haqua was in shock while Yukie remembered him from their meeting and allows him to come in. He explained that he is a partner of another demon and thought it was correct to greet someone who is older and in the same position as he was. Yukie gets excited over this and was even given a present by Keima. Keima's plan to act polite and unlike his usual self, and befriend her, was because he believed that another partner, along with the fact that she is an older woman, would be a very reliable source of information. Haqua figured out that Keima must have followed her while she was coming home. She thinks to herself that "I've been found by the one I most didn't want!" and informed Yukie to not talk to the likes of him. Yukie ignored or overlooked this comment and allowed Keima to have dinner with her and Haqua. It was discovered that both Keima and Yukie started around the same time, except that she was contacted while watching some infomercials. Keima exclaimed in a rather loud tone to ask her politely, to help him, as he had found another very established partner. Keima learned that partners can be both male and female, where thanks to Haqua's earlier reactions and the improbable combination, were not allowed to chose their 'buddy.' Haqua, trying to get the upper hand of the situation, explained that he had not seen the dark side of an old woman and to continue with his facade. This statement was completely destroyed in Keima's eyes as she gets him a Gokult hat. Haqua then started to irritate Keima as her replies to his comments gave him trouble. Yukie was shocked as she sees Haqua so relaxed and happy for a change. She commented that it was probably because Keima is there. Yukie then started saying things like how Hacchan (Haqua-chan) had been commenting how good-looking he is. Haqua then attempted to cover-up but does not help very much. After dinner, Yukie showed that she is in the Gokult business, delivering products to customers. Furthermore, as Yukie showed Keima the map of her route, he notices the x marks on it. She stated that those are all Spirits. Shocked at the vast number, Keima was curious if they have already started the captures. Haqua was distressed, explaining that they have only captured one and that her partner is useless. Yukie was depressed; stated that she has a job to do and is the only thing that she knows how to do. The two started quarrelling over their 'jobs'. As Haqua stated that she wished that Yukie would die, Yukie goes to another room, and the scene changes. Keima, in the bathroom, wondered if Elsie was worried over his disappearance. Keima thinks about how there was no way he can even say no to an old woman who kept offering stuff. Keima also thinks about how it made sense on how Haqua could be distressed over the fact that they only caught one while they have already spotted 15 of them. Then, Keima thinks about how the partner cannot be as useless as Haqua stated she is, as she still managed to get one. Keima knows how difficult it is to even catch one as he was in the same boat. In amazement, Keima wondered how Yukie managed to get a spirit while doing nothing but delivering Gokult, knowing the fact that the gap is not filled up by chance. "In games, woman like that tend to be unusually perceptive characters." In order to observe what this lady was doing in order to get all of these spirits, Keima follows her route... Haqua then entered the bathroom naked, shocked to see Keima, as Yukie told her that he had gone home. Keima already thought this might occur but thinks that she just generally spaces out. Haqua was embarrassed about the events and stays on the roof. Keima then asked if Yukie can demonstrate to him on how she managed to accomplish getting the spirit. It was here that she stated that she cannot as she was working on all 15 at once. Doing It Her Own Way Yukie and her daily activity of delivering gokult in a nearby town known as Nagumo. The scene shows Yukie placing a Gokult cart in front of a house commenting how "Takeuchi-san's not here", meaning that she gets acquainted with the people she delivered Gokult to. Keima had accompanied Yukie and Haqua as they went about hunting loose souls. Keima seemed to have great interest as to how Yukie would be able to accomplish an almost impossible feat of capturing all 15 spirits at once. Haqua then told Keima not to get too excited or have high expectations as he would be disappointed by Yukie's 'ineffective' (by Haqua's standards) method. Yukie goes to the next house asking if the boy who opened the door, wanted any Gokult. He slammed the door and she commented "No good." She then tried another house and asks if they would like any Gokult. It ended in the same result and the same comment; "No good." Keima realized what a difficult and hard-earning job this must be. Haqua says that the girl who they just passed was a Spirit holder. Haqua states that the only thing that Yukie does day-in and day-out was ask if they want Gokult. Yukie explained that this is the only thing she knows how to do, and that this is her best way of doing it. Yukie did not mind if the people who she offers the gokult to kept saying no, to the point where 1 month of saying no was nothing. Haqua and Keima were now sitting on a bench. Yet again, Haqua started ranting and complaining about how useless Yukie was. She continued to say how she is still aiming for the top. However, "If my partner can't tell the difference between a drink and a spirit...It's all over. I give up." Keima then tried to figure out if Yukie is as "useless" at capturing spirits as she appears to be. Keima fully understood that there was no way that a demon can choose their buddies, as the "'brass' which wanted to grab more spirits than anyone else, go out of their way to choose someone so useless?". Haqua then said that anyone can do what Yukie was doing. To prove that Yukie was not as useless as Haqua thinks she was, Keima asks if Haqua can convince him to have a gokult. Haqua failed to do so and hits Keima for his comment. Yukie then approached the gate of another house. She talks to Asari-chan - an obvious spirit possessor - very nicely. Haqua told Keima that it has been 3 months since they had found it but she never leaves the house and just looks from the balcony. Yukie asked if she would come out from the house but Asari replied that she did not want to as she would get bullied again. This meant that Yukie's method had established some emotional connection with the spirit possessors. Yukie stated that she knew that she was going to say that (even more successful emotional connection) and tried to give Asari-chan; the famous gokult hat. Yukie picking up Gokult with Asari, a loose soul host. Haqua complained that they have to get the spirit out of there quickly, as it has gotten a lot bigger. Yukie still had deliveries left and that she would not like to talk in the first place. Yukie asked if Hacchan knew any better idea. Haqua then said that it is about time. She explains how ineffective her method was but she herself only provided the principle and theory. She told Keima that all they have to do is make her come out of the house but as she cannot think of how, she realized how difficult something like thinking of a plan is. However, Keima said that someone like her was simple to conquer her with a 'long-lost brother' routine. Haqua, not admitting defeat, ran off telling Yukie to do whatever she wants. As Yukie tried to make her stop, she fell down quite badly. Haqua immediately runs back apologizing. As Yukie was picking up the drinks, Asari decided to help her. Yukie thanked her and offered Asari some Gokult. Haqua was shocked by this amazing feat, even when her method is 'ineffective'. Yukie then gave Haqua some Gokult. Keima stated that nobody would accept a drink that easily from someone they do not know. "Unlike school, you can't just make events that easily in town." However, Yukie was able to get inside their hearts through those tiny 'encounters.' She did not deliver that many just for show. Keima then told Haqua to not let the spirit from Asari escape, as it will be coming out any moment. Back at Keima's house, Elsie asked him where he was, as she was worried. Keima went back to playing games and thinks to himself that "The bishojo games back in the day usually involved seeing various girls bit by bit. They're ones that had meaning in 'seeing' them rather than the event themselves... Being an old woman, I guess her methods are just as old." Keima then thinks that the wandering types (like Yukie) do not take a lot of time per person, so that they can work on multiple at once. "I wonder if they'll all come out at once?" implying that her techniques, even if old, are effective. Although, Keima said that he will just stick to using his own methods. Just as Keima thought, Haqua managed to get four spirits by the next week. Even so, she was still not convinced enough that Yuki's methods are effective.